If I said that April was as gentle and calm as I imagine the month of April should be, I'd be laughing pretty hard. April was completely chaotic. I am so glad for a new month, despite the ridiculous amount of 'It's Gonna be May' NSYNC memes I have been seeing for the past week on social media. Seriously- enough with those. April had its share of wonderful moments, which have ultimately left me exhausted- but it's the best kind of exhausted.

A month of celebrations

April held lots of celebrations for our family. Easter kicked off the joyous month, and gave us a time of rest and reflection. The kids and I took a mini vacation to North Myrtle Beach, SC for a few days and though it was chilly, it was nice just to be away. The ocean is always such a beautiful sight to see & will always be one of my favorite places.

While we were at the beach, we celebrated Baby S' birthday. She's two years old now and full of sassitude! That's another post, though- there's a whole new attitude that comes along with two-year-olds. I'm still navigating those waters.

My dad also celebrated his 60th birthday mid-April, and the weekend following his birthday, we had a big family celebration for S. It was lots of fun, lots of work, but so worth it to see her smiling face as she played with friends and enjoyed her FROZEN themed party.

A Christian Concert of Note

We also had the pleasure of hosting a night of worship with Christian Recording Artist Aaron Shust at my church (St. John's Salisbury). We were blessed by his music- he sang some of my favorite worship songs. My hubby and mom worked the merch table with me at the concert, and we enjoyed meeting Mr. Shust and his team.

More Parties!

We also enjoyed celebrations with family and friends! We managed to attend a sweet little friend's birthday party at the lake and then host a baby shower for my sister-in-law, all within a few hours of each other. Whew! What a fun day!

Slowing Down

And now that May is here, I am glad for the sunshine, and for things slowing down a bit. Baby S is fighting a cold, which means that I am home with her as she rests- giving me a chance to rest as well. I need it. I'm looking forward to a slower month, giving me some time to recover from April and start making plans for summer. I have never been so ready for the end of the school year to be here. Four weeks and counting!

While I rest, I'm taking some time to look around and appreciate the little things in life that I take for granted far too often. I complained all during the month of April- of the wind, the rain, and grey skies, but guess what? It's May- it's sunny and warm, and my flowers are a-bloomin' like crazy. They are so beautiful and have left me thankful for seasons, and touches of subtle and striking beauty. It really is all around us- even in the chaos.

Where will you find beauty today?